Can-opening device



Oct. 30, 1951 F, FROLICH 2,573,427

CAN-OPENING DEVICE Filed June 27, 1947 Patented Oct. 30, 1951 CAN- OPENING DEVICE John F. Frolich, Stamford, Conn., assignor to The Indiana Steel Products Company, Chicago, Ill.,

a corporation of Indiana Application June 27, 1947,.Seria1 No. 757,427

2 Claims. l

This invention relates to a can opening device, and more particularly to a can opening device employing magnetic means for aiding in the removal of the severed top portion from the opened can.

Many types oi can openers have been devised. Several types grip the rim of the can while the top lportion is severed from the body. However, in all lcan openers now available, the can top. after being severed from the can body, is free to fall into the opened can. The top must then be removed from the can body by the user inserting his hand into the can body, grasping the top and pulling it out of the body. Even though exercising due caution, the user may cut his hand on the rough, sharp edges of the top and rim of the can while extracting the top. Also, the top falling into the can may cause any liquid in the open can to splash over the edge of the can onto the user.

In accordance with the present invention, I provide a can opening device employing a permanent magnet to hold the severed top of an opened can in position for safe and convenient removal. The present invention is not concerned with the can opener itself. The can opener employed may be of any conventional type, either manually of mechanically operated. vThe permanent magnet is located in such relation to the cutting edges of the opener that it may maintain constant contact with the can top during removal. As shown in the appended drawings, the magnet may be cylindrical so as tp rotate upon the surface of the can top, or it may be designed to slide over the surface oi the can top. The magnet is attached to the can opener in such manner that it is capable of sufficient vertical and lateral movement to follow any irregularities of the can top surface.

After the can top has been severed from the body of the can, the magnet holds the can top by means of magnetic attraction. Thus the top is prevented from falling into the opened can. The can may then be removed from the can opener, leaving the can top attached to the magnet.

This invention eliminates the following disadvantages of the conventional can opener. First, the user does not have to remove the severed top from the interior of the opened can. Also, there is no danger of injury to the user while opening the can or while removing the top from the opener. Futhermore, there is no loss of material from the can and the liquid contents of the can cannot splash on the user.

It is therefore an important object of the present invention to provide a can opening device including a permanent magnet by means .of which the severed can top is prevented from falling into the opened can.

It is another important object of the present invention to provide a can opening device employing magnetic means to hold the severed top of an opened can in position from which it may be easily removed without danger or inconvenience to the user.

Other and further important objects of the present invention will become apparent from the ollowi-ng description and appended claims.

On the drawings:

Figure l is a side elevational view, partly in section, or" a can opening device of the present invention, illustrating the location of the magnet -vvith respect to the can opener and the can;

Figure 2 is a top plan view of a can opening device of the present invention further illustrating the location of the magnet;

Figure 3 is an enlarged sectional View of the permanent magnet of the present invention with parts in side elevation; and

Figure 4 is an enlarged sectional view taken substantially along the line 'IV-IV of Figure 3 with parts in elevation.

As shown on the drawings:

The reference numeral IIJ refers generally to a can opener of conventional design attached by means of a suitable bracket II to a plane vertical surface I2. The can opener IB comprises a body portion I3, a pivoted portion i4 attached to the body portion I3 by rivets I5 and I6, and a lever Il to effect movement of the pivoted portion I4 with respect to the body portion I3. A rotatable shaft I8 passing through the body portion carries a gear I9 and a toothed wheel 2Q rigidly mounted on the shaft on one side of the body portion I3 and a crank assembly 2I mounted on the shaft on the opposite side oi the body portion I3. The pivoted portion I4 carries a cutting blade 22 and a gear 23 engaging gear I9 rigidly mounted on a hollow shaft 24, shaft 24 being rotatably attached to the pvoted portion I4 by a bolt 25 and a nut 2S. The pivoted portion I4 of the can opener also carries a projection 28 for the purpose of holding the can in the correct horizontal position for cutting. Projection 28 carries bracket 29 rigidly mounted thereto by bolt 30 and passing through slot 32 in the bracket 29 and hole 33 in the projection 28. The bracket 29, made of non-magnetic material, carries in its forward portion 29a the magnet assembly 34.

In Figures 3 and 4 it can be seen that the magnet assembly 34 consists of a permanent magnet 35 in the form of a hollow cylinder and soft iron pole piece discs 36 and 31 attached to the magnet by the non-magnetic rivet 38 passing through the discs 36 and 31 and the hollow center of the magnet 35. The forward portion 29a of the bracket 29 forms a segmen-A tal circular housing for the magnet assembly 34. The radius of the magnet 34 is substantially less than the radius of the housing 29a, so that the magnet is held loosely in the housing. 'I'he pole piece discs 36 and 31 are of greater radius than the housing 25a, thus preventing the magnet assembly 34 from sliding out of the housing 23a. The magnet 35 is not only free to rotate in the housing 23a., but also has freedom of movement both vertically and laterally. The reason for this freedom of movement will be explained hereafter.

When the lever l1 is in position 11a, the gears I9 and 23 are disengaged and the rim 39 of can 46 may be insertedV between them. By the movement of the lever l1 from its position 11a to its position along the upper edge of the body portion I3, the rim 33 of the can 46 is grasped between the toothed wheel 2Q and the inner edge of the cutting blade 22. The cutting edge of the blade 22 is forced through the can top 4I. The discs 36 and 31 of the magnet assembly are in Contact with the can top 4i. The gears I9 and 23 are engaged by the downward movement of the pivoted portion I4. Movement of the crank assembly 2i moves the wheel 2B and, through the gears I9 and 23, the cutting blade 22. The wheel 2l] grasping the outer edge of the can rim rotates the can while the cutting blade 22 severs the top 4| from the body of the can 40.

As the can 43 rotates, the discs 36 and 31 of the magnet assembly rotate on the can top 4l, thus maintaining contact between the magnet 35 and the can top 4l. Due to the construction of the forward portion 29a. of the bracket 2S and the lateral and vertical freedom of the magnet assembly 34, irregularities in the l surface of the can top 4i do not cause loss of contact between the discs 36 and 31 and the top 4 l.

At the end of a complete revolution of the can 40, the can top 4l is entirely severed from the can body 4Q. The attraction of the magnet 35 for the can top 4| prevents the top from falling into the open can'. The lever l1 may be moved to its position I1a and the opened can removed from the can opener. The can top 4l will remain attached to the discs 36 and 31 and may beremoved when the user desires.

Thus it may be readily seen that by the use of the can opening device of the present invention it is possible to remove the top of the can more safely and conveniently than has been previously possible.

It will, of course, be understood that the various details of construction may be varied through a wide range without departing from the principles of this invention, and it is, therefore, not the purpose to limit the patent granted hereon otherwise than necessitated by the scope of the appended claims.

I claim as my invention:

l. A can opening device comprising a can opener in combination with a permanent magnet assembly, said assembly comprising a fixed bracket arm secured to said can opener and extending laterally therefrom in spaced relation to the cutting elements of said opener, a cylindrical permanent magnet loosely mounted on said bracket arm for rotation about a longitudinal axis normally lying in a horizontal plane and the loose mounting of the magnet in said bracket accommodating vertical and tilting movements of the magnet, and separate cylindrical pole pieces rigidly secured to the circular end faces of said magnet and extending therebeyond for freely rolling contact with the top of a can retained bysaid opener with the loose mounting of said magnet permitting relative movement of said pole pieces to maintain rolling contact with said can top during severance of the same by operation of said opener.

2. A can opening device comprising a can opener in combination with a permanent magnet assembly, said assembly comprising a bracket arm secured to said can opener and extending laterally therefrom in spaced relation to the cutting elements of said opener, a cylindrical permanent magnet loosely mounted on said bracket arm with the magnet axis normally lying in a horizontal plane and the loose mounting of the magnet in said bracket accommodating vertical and tilting movement of the magnet, and separate pole pieces rigidly secured to the circular end faces of said magnet and extending therebeyond for freely contacting the top of a can retained by said opener with the loose mounting of said magnet permitting movement of said pole pieces to maintain contact with said can top during severance of the same during operation of said opener.

JOHN F. FROLICH.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the le of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 824,812 Plimpton July 3, 1906 2,296,073 Walgo Sept. 15, 1942 2,437,234 Webb Mar. 2. 1948 

